A 33-year-old man was arrested in Marion County after he was accused of grabbing a woman’s cellphone, striking her in the head with it, and preventing her from contacting law enforcement.
On Tuesday, a Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to a local residence in reference to a possible domestic disturbance. Upon arrival, the deputy observed that the front door was open and a packed suitcase was in front of the door, according to the MCSO report.
The deputy observed a man, identified as Kenis Antonio Marquez Vargas, walking out of the bedroom, and a woman was heard crying inside the room. The deputy entered the bedroom and made contact with the female victim.
Since the victim spoke Spanish, another deputy arrived on scene to help conduct an interview in Spanish. According to the victim, she had gotten into an argument with Marquez Vargas.
During the argument, the victim stated that Marquez Vargas grabbed her cellphone, struck her in the head with it, and slapped her in the face. She then advised that Marquez Vargas held onto her cellphone and pushed her into a closet to keep her from calling 911.
The deputies made contact with Marquez Vargas. After being read his Miranda rights, Marquez Vargas stated that he had found messages on the victim’s cellphone, which led to the argument. He admitted that he threw the victim’s cellphone during the argument and it “possibly hit her.”
The MCSO report stated that the victim had a large lump with bruising behind her left ear, which was consistent with being struck by a cellphone.
Marquez Vargas was arrested, transported to Marion County Jail, and he was later released on his own recognizance. He is facing a misdemeanor charge for battery along with felony charges for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and hindering, delaying, or preventing the communication to a law enforcement officer of information relating to the commission of an offense.
A court date has been scheduled at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, February 7, according to jail records.